The present invention relates to an electrical connector which houses terminal fittings provided with metal lances.
Conventionally, connectors use metal lances to retain terminal fittings. An example thereof is shown in FIG. 11 of this specification. This type of connector has a configuration whereby a metal lance 2 is cut out from a side wall of a terminal fitting 1, and a step 4 is formed on a side face of a cavity 3 of a housing 5. The metal lance 2 bends while the terminal fitting 1 is being inserted into the cavity 3. After the terminal fitting 1 has been pushed in to a specified position, the metal lance 2 returns to its original position and engages with the step 4, thereby preventing the removal of the terminal fitting 1.
A connector with this type of configuration is described in JP-63-257187.
This configuration using metal lances, whereby the lances serve to retain the terminal fitting against the side wall of the cavity, generally has a much greater retaining force than a configuration using plastic lances. Consequently, double retaining, using a retainer or the like, is not performed. However, terminal fittings have been miniaturised in recent years, and consequently the metal lances have also become smaller. As a result, there is the danger that the retaining force of the metal lances alone may be insufficient, and it has been proposed that connectors which use metal lances should also be doubly retained by retainers.
In response to this, it was proposed that a retainer attachment hole 6 (shown by the chain line in FIG. 11) be formed in a side face of the housing 5, this retainer attachment hole 6 opening into the cavity 3. A retainer provided with a fitting member is inserted from the side into the retainer attachment hole 6. After the terminal fitting 1 has been inserted into the cavity 3 and is retained therein by the metal lance 2, the retainer is pushed further inwards, and the fitting member engages with a cog member 7 of the terminal fitting 1, thereby doubly retaining the terminal fitting 1.
In the configuration described above, the means of doubly retaining the terminal fitting 1 is effective. However, problems arise when the terminal fitting 1 is to be removed from the cavity 3 for maintenance or the like. That is, when the terminal fitting 1 is to be removed, the retainer is pushed back, a jig is inserted from the anterior of the stopping stepped member 4, the metal lance 2 is bent, thereby releasing its engagement, and the terminal fitting 1 is pulled out. However, as has been explained, the retainer attachment hole 6 opens into the side wall of the cavity 3 through which the metal lance 2 passes. Consequently, there is the problem that the metal lance 2 returns to its original position at the time it passes the retainer attachment hole 6, and it catches with a hole edge thereof. As a result, the terminal fitting 1 cannot be easily removed.
The present invention has taken the above problem into consideration, and aims to present a connector wherein a terminal fitting is retained by a metal lance, and is doubly retained by a retainer.
According to the invention there is provided an electrical connector comprising a housing, a cavity in the housing and an electrical terminal insertable from a posterior side into said cavity, the terminal having a resilient lance part-sheared therefrom and engageable with a step of said cavity in order to retain the terminal from movement to the posterior side, and the housing having a jig insertion hole adapted to receive a jig for bending said lance to release engagement thereof with said step, and said housing further including an aperture opening into said cavity at the posterior side of said step, and a retainer insertable into said aperture and engageable with an abutment of said terminal to doubly retain said terminal from movement to said posterior side, the retainer and housing being engageable in a temporary position in which said terminal may be inserted into said cavity, and a final position in which said retainer and abutment are engaged characterized in that said retainer includes a jig insertion opening adapted to receive a jig for bending said lance to release engagement thereof with said aperture to permit removal of said terminal from said cavity. Such an arrangement conveniently permits release of the lance with a second jig, and permits removal of the terminal.
The jig insertion opening preferably extends at right angles to the direction of said cavity, and comprises an open channel in the posterior side of said retainer.